Needs/Stakeholder Matrix

​Needs/stakeholder matrix

In principle, NRENs should be open to and cater for the needs of all stakeholders, including those outside the immediate higher education (HE) and research member constituencies.

The reason for this is simple: NRENs often need external financial support to be sustainable. This support may come from government agencies or other donors. By addressing other public policy issues in addition to HE and research, government agencies may be more willing to provide support. For example, if connecting secondary schools or hospitals to national services is a government priority, NRENs can address this need by providing appropriate services and detailing it in relevant proposals.

Who are your stakeholders and what are their needs?

A sound business model therefore relies on knowing who your stakeholders and their needs are. This will enable you to align your service offering accordingly.

The following is an example of a needs/stakeholder matrix which will help you identify your key stakeholders and map their priorities:

The numbers in the cells denote what kind of service is most appropriate in terms of marketplace differentiation criteria as defined under step 2 in the section "Our approach":

Gap reduction

Service uniqueness

Economies of scale

Localisation

Once the matrix is completed it can be used for various purposes:

Firstly, it is a blue print for the part of the NREN Business Model that describes the services that will be provided for potential customers.

It can also be used to determine if identified user groups should even be considered as potential NREN members. It is not always worthwhile to connect members that only ask for services that are already available and less expensive on the market.

Some services can be offered to all or most stakeholders and other services will be offered tailor made for specific user groups. One should avoid offering advanced or specific services to user groups that, for example, just require simple internet access.